Nijmegen restaurant goes to court after being shut down for refusing QR code check

The restaurant Moeke on the Lentse Plas in Nijmegen will go to court after being ordered to close by the municipality for refusing to check guests’ coronavirus access pass, De Gelderlander reported.

After several warnings, the restaurant was closed on Saturday afternoon by two special investigating officers. “The owner had announced they will not be checking the passes, thus, he was ordered to close,” a spokesperson of the municipality told De Gelderlander.

A sign that was placed in front of the restaurant earlier read: “For Moeke you do not have to prove anything”. Underneath was stated that the restaurant would “not actively check” the coronavirus access pass.

Manager of the Moeke, Jaap de Kort, said the officers did not give them enough time to check the QR codes of two guests who entered the restaurant around 3 p.m. on Saturday. “All in all they had been inside for just under 30 seconds, in an otherwise empty space.” The officers allegedly entered straight after the guests and shut down the restaurant half an hour later for not complying with coronavirus measures.

Owner of the Moeke chain, Laurens Meijer, said that although he was not a fan of the mandatory QR code check, the restaurant chain would follow the regulations.

The summary proceedings were submitted to the court in Arnhem at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Since Saturday everyone aged 13 and older must be able to show a coronavirus access pass to gain entry to a catering establishment, cultural institution or other events.